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Weyekin 
Stories 


CORNELISON 


I. 


\£EYEKIN    STORIES 

T   I    T   W   A   T    I    T      W   E    Y  E    K  I  S    H  N   I  M 


»Y 

j.  M.  JCORNELISON 

Missionary  t«  th« 
.    Umatillw 


E,  L.  MACKEY  fc  CO. 
PRINTERS  AMD  PUBUSHERS,  788  Mission  ST. 

'  IAN    FRAMCI8CO,  CAL. 


The  "Weyekin"  is  the  Totem  or 
spirit  ally  that  becomes  the  informer 
and  protector  of  a  given  individual 
in  all  his  experiences  and  adventures 
throughout  life.  Belief  in  this  To 
tem  or  Animal  Cult  obtains  almost 
universally  among  the  native  tribes 
of  North  America,  and  is  also  found 
in  other  parts  of  the  world.  It  is 
primitive  man's  confession  of  the 
need  of  and  search  for  superhuman 
reinforcement  amid  the  uncertainties 
of  life.  Lightning,  tempest,  flood, 
and  famine  are  all  spirit  forces  to  the 
savage;  all-powerful,  dangerous  ene 
mies  with  which  he  cannot  cope  un 
less  he  has  cunning  counsel  of  potent 
allies.  The  idea  of  a  Fetish  or 
means  of  communicating  with  Jhe 
Supreme  Being  also  enters. 

The  term  '.'Weyekin"  is  both 
singular  and  plural.  Weyekishnim 
is  the  genitive  form,  softened  for 
euphony.  Titwatit  Weyekishnim, 
therefore  means  Tales  of  Weyekin. 


FOREWORD 


WHILE  .the  missionary  was  getting  the  rudi 
ments  of  the  language  when  he  first  came 
here  he  lived  for  two  years  in  a  tent,  camp 
ing  near  some  Indian  home  so  as  to  hear  and  talk  with 
the  people.  Living  in  the  dooryard  of  some  Christian 
family^  he  joined  with  them  in  morning  and  evening 
worship;  While  near  one  of  these  homes  where  several 
children  were  growing  up,  he  often  heard  the  little 
boys,  crawling  upon  their  father's  knees,  clamor  in 
childlike  simplicity  and  interest,  "Tota  tamtainim  ina 
Itsay eyaiwetset, "  ' '  Papa  tell  me  about  Coyote. ' '  Then 
would  follow  a  long  ramble  of  the  mighty  deeds  and 
prowess  and  cunning  of  the  great  Coyote,  and  of  other 
wild  creatures.  The  missionary  found  himself  as  ready 
and  interested  a  listener  as  the  children,  for  the  mother 
of  the  family  would  interpret  snatches  of  the  most  in 
teresting  parts  for  him. 

Any  "Hans  Andersen "  of  the  Indians  will  be  listened 
to  by  the  hour  both  by  young  and  old;  and  it  was  in 
that  way  that  these  stories  were  gathered  from  differ 
ent  sources  and  oft-repeated  hearings.  Many  of  them 
begin  nowhere  and  no-when,  wandering  afar,  and  end 
ing  in  tfce  same  way'.  Perhaps  these  great  deeds  were 
the  acts  of  Red  braves  long  ago,  who,  as  generations 
passed,  have  been  "canonized/'  or  deified. 


OBTAINING  THE  WBYlKIN 

The  Initiation  Ceremonies  of  Indian  Youths 

EGINNING  from  the  earliest  times  the  chil 
dren  of  the  Indians  were  taught  how  they 
might  best  obtain  their  Weyekin,  which  would 
be  their  .helper,  adyiser,  guide  and  comforter, 
both  in  daily  life,  in  war,  in  hunting  and  fish 
ing,,  in  business  and  in  sickness.  The  ins  true- 
tip  ns  were  on  this  wise.  The  child  should 
rise  early,  bathe  his  body  carefully  by  oitams 
of  sweat  bath  and  cold  plunge,  and  cleanse  his  mouth 
far  into  his  throat  and  stomach  with  willow  twigs. 
Thus  cleansed  he  should  go  alone  into  the  woods  or 
along  the  stream  to  commune  with  Nature  until  such 
time  as  some  animal,  bird,  beast  or  insect  should  im 
some  manner  communicate  with  bin,  in  the  natural 
way  while  waking,  or  while  asleep  in  the  visionary  .01 
ecstatic  way.  And  what  ever  came  to  him  amd  made  a 
pact  with  him  thus  should  become  his  Weyekin,  his 
guiding  star,  his  good  angel  in  all  after,  life.  This  WM 
the  normal  way  to  find  and  get  the  Weyekin;  but  il 
might  be  obtained  in  other  ways,  for  the  Weyekin,  like 
the  wind,  " bio weth  where  it  will/'  Io>any  experience 
might  reveal  to  the  seeker  his  Weyekin  and  permit  his 
^initiation  into  the  Cult.  One  person  might  have  a  num 
ber  of  Weyekin  at  his  service,  Especially  was  this  trut 
if  he  were  educating  himself  to  become  a  big  medicine 
man  or  "Tuet."  For -if  he  was  to  dvercome  somt 
special  kind  of  sickness  brought  upon  one  of  his  pa 
tients  by  a  different  Weyekin,  he  must*  have  a  Weyt- 
kin  of  greater  cunning,  strength!  or  speed  lo  outwit 


the  other,  and  so  work  his  core.  These  Weyekin  could 
communicate  with  their  devotees  by  telepathy  no  mat-" 
ter  how  great  the  distance,  or  what  obstacles  were  to 
be  overcome  or  enemy  blocking  the  way.  So  the  In 
dian's  world  of  imagination  is  peopled  with  these  in. 
visible  Weyekin  who  work  "malicious  animal  magne 
tism"  on  whom  they  will.  Therefore,  the  personal 
Weyekin  when  found  becomes  a  sacred  thing,  and  even 
after  embracing  the  Christian  faith  devotedly,  no  In 
dian,  I  believe,  would  wilfully  destroy  his  Weyekin. 
This  spiritual  alliance  is  kept  secret.  One  man  said  to 
me,  "If  I  told  you  about  my  Weyekin  maybe  it  would 
•torm  and  rain  for  many  days." 

The  Indian  medicine  man  has  the  adepts;  of  occult 
science  heavily  handicapped,  with  this  innumerable 
host  of  Weyekin  to  work  for  him.  He  has  practiced 
the  arj  of  spirit  communication  for  centuries,  and  ex- 

Slains  the  matter  in  more  simple  language,  and  with 
«•  vagaries,  than  these  modern  cults. 

SOME  ACTS  OF  THE  WEYEKIN 

WO  boys  went  fishing  and  had  fair  success . 
Among  their  catch  were  some  of  the  Chub 
fish  which  are  considered  very  poor  eating 
compared  with  the  Trout  species.  The  boys 
having*enough  of  the  choice  kind  thre^  the 
poor  Chubs  away  to  parch  and  die  in  the  hot 
sun.  But  Blacksnake  who  was  a  particular 
friend  of  the  Chub  fish  saw  the  cruel  deed  in 
flicted  on  his  allies  and  immediately  planned  to  avenge 
their  death.  The  boys  went  Ipme  in  ignorance  of  the 
fact  that  they  were  being  shadowed  by  Blacksnake, 
who  took  mental  note  of  the  house  that  they  entered. 
At  nightfall  he  returned  close  to  the  house,  and  when 


Mother   and   Child 


Parsons  Motanic 


Circle  of  Lodges 


tilt  boy§  came  out  to  go  to  the  nearby  stream  for 
water  Blackgnakt  crept  up  and  bit  them,  and  haitened 
away  to  hii  den  in  the  rocks.  The  boys  ran  crying  to 
the  house  and  told  their  mother  that  a  snake  had  bit 
ten  them,  and  from  the  swelling  it  was  seen  that  they 
must  have  immediate  attention.  The  distracted  mother 
hastened  to  call  the  "Tuet"  or  medicine  man.  In 
diagnosing  the  case  he  learned  where  the  boys  had 
been  that  day  and  what  they  had  done.  Then  by  call 
ing  on  <his  Weyekin  he  knew  that  Blacksnake,  had  done 
the  biting  for  he  was  a  friend  of  the  Chubs,  and  had 
done  it  for  revenge.  The  only  remedy  was  to  secure 
the  very  same  snake  and  kill  him  at  once,  or  the  boys 
would  die.  It  was  catching  before  hanging  then  as 
now.  Yet  that  was  not  so  difficult  for  a  man  who  had' 
three  swift,  wise  and  competent  Weyekin  to  aid  him. 
The  three  Weyekin  of  this  "Tuet"  were  the  Raven, 
sharp  of  eye  and  swift  on  wing,  the  Spider  with  his  en 
tangling  web,  the  Toad  with  his  wise  stare,  and  slow 
but  sure  pace.  These  three  police  Weyekin  were  at 
once  summoned  to  duty  to  arrest  the  criminal.  The 
raven  went  in  swift  pursuit,  and  found  Blacksnake 
just  as  he  was  crawling  intp  his  hole  in  the  rocks.  He 
could  not  enter  but  sat  there  to  guard  till  the  others  of 
the  police  could  arrive.  Then  came  Spider  partly 
crawling  and  partly  flying  in  the  loose  web  that  he  had 
hastily  made  with  which  to  trap  Blacksnake.  But  even 
he  was  handicaped,  for  though  he  could  enter  ttie  hole 
he  could  not  work  the  web  to  advantage  since  Black- 
snake  lay  along  prone  and  could  not  rise  to  strike  at 
him  and  be  entangled. 

All  tlus  time  the  boys  were  raving  in  hi^h  fever,  al 
most  a  hydrophobia,  and  the  medicine  man  was  deftly 
plying  his  art  of  song  and  dance  and  drumming,  both 
to  keep  off  death  and  to  encourage  his  Weyekin  in 


their  quest.  Finally,  slow  and  sure,  old  Toad  came 
bopping  up  to  ^where  Raven  and  Spider  had  Black- 
make  at  bay,  and  went  bravely  into  the  hole,  caught 
Blacksnake  by  the  tail  and  dragged  him  out  into  the 
open  where  the  three  made  a  "short  x>rder"  night 
lunch  of  him.  At  that  moment  the  proverbial  turn  for 
the  better  came  in  tke  case  of  the  boys.  By  their  rapid 
recovery  the  "Tuet"  knew  that  Blacksnake  was  dead. 
There  remained  nothing  more  for  him  to  do  but  collect 
his  fee  for  services  rendered,  which  wafc  a  goodly  sum, 
being  $90  in  hard  cash,  a  new  saddle,  and  two  pftmes. 

THE  FALt  OF  THE  WEYEKIN 
A  Greater  Than  He  Is  Come 


OME  thirty-five  or  forty  years  ago  a  poor  boy 
on  the  Umatilla  reservation  .roamed  from  te 
pee  to  tepee  beaten  and  cuffed  wherever  he 
tried  to  find  shetler,  until  he  fled  to  the  next 
place.  Homeless,  suffering  from  hunger  and 
nakedness  he  came  in  his  extremity  to  a  lodge 
and  found  no  one  present,  so  creeping  under* 
the  sides  of  the  tent  he  discovered  and  stole 
fifty  cents  from  a  bag  and  started  off  with  the  coin, 
thinking  to  -buy  food  with  it.  As  he  went  rtmorse 
smote  him  and  slipping  back  he  returned  the  stolen 
money  to  the  bag. 

Joining  a  party  of  Indians  en  route  to  the  mountain! 
to  hunt,  he  continued  to  receive  the  same  ill  treatment 
from  them.  But  there  was  one  dog  in  the  camp  that 
made  friends  with  the  boy,  becoming  his  qomrade  bV 
day  and  sharing  his  poor  pallet  at  Bight.  On  a  dark 
night,  so  dark  that  no  mortal  could  see,  this  lad  real 
ized,  plainly  as  in  the  day,  that  he  was  leaving  the  tent 
and  going  to  get  a  bow  and  arrow  that  he  saw  at  ft 

10 


diitemet  itickimg  im  tkt  ground,  Tmete  hii  empty 
hand*  seiied,  and  he  wit  glad.  Listening  there  for  a 
long  time,  he  heard  voices  singing  behind  him  and 
before,  beautifully;  Those  coming  from  the  front  ap 
proached  and  told  him  something  of  his  future  life. 
Coming  to  himself  the  next  day  he  discovered  that  he 
was  lost,  but  found  his  war  back  by  following  the  howl- 
ings  of  his  old  comrade,  the  dog,  who  was  lonesome  for 
his  playmate.  Then  he  realized  that  the  voice  he  had 
beard  from  behind  directing  him  in  the  nighi  had  been 
this  dog,  and  the  one  speaking  to  him  of  the  future 
had  been  a  doe.  Wherefore  these  two  animals  became 
his  Weyekin,  This  boy  grew  to  mannood,  and  as  had 
been  foretold,  he*  had  many  wives,  .was  very  adulterous, 
became  a  big  war  dancer,  a  gambler  and  a  drunkard, 
spending  all  his  mpney  and  time  in  his  search  for  riot 
ous  pleasure.  Finally  while  on  one  of  these  revels  he 
was  thrown  from  his  horse  and  was  found  cut,  bruised, 
and  bleeding,  and  almost  unconscious.  While  in  this 
condition  there  C3,me  to  him 'his  Weyekin  to  offer  help 
and  suggest  medicine  for  his  wounds.  Then  he  arose 
and  said  to  them,  "Leave  me  forever,  I  am  done  with 
you  and  with  this  kind  of  life. ' '  "And  from  that  time 
on, ' '  said  he,  as  his  soul  spoke  through  gleaming  eyes, 

I  determined  to  leave  those  old  customs,  as  one  throws 
off  his  coat.*'  He  sprang  from  his  chair  and  almost 
stripped  his  garment  from  him  to  illustrate  his  words. 

"Then  you  proposed  to  follow  a  greater  Weyekin, 
Jesus  Christ,  the  true .  ,  Revealed  One  of  God  who 
leads  us  by  His  Holy  Spirit."  And  to  this  he  bowed 
his  head  in  acknowledgement,  for  the  "new  man"  had 
supplanted  and  overcome  the  "old  man."  And  the 
channel  of  thought  an,d  superstitious  belief  worn  by. 
centuries  of  training  was  cleansed  and  filled  by  the 
Christ  of  God. 

ri 


Well  do  I  remember  the  Sabbath  following  tht 
episode  mentioned,  when  after  the  sermon  we*  were  in 
the  midst  of  an  experience  meeting  in  which  many  were 
bearing  a  word  of  testimony,  and  the  missionary  was 
urging  others  to  take  a  stand  for  Christ.  All  eyes  turned 
to  a  big  man,  with  long  hair  and  a  blanket,  who  had 
arisen  to  speak.  With  quivering  lips,  and  tears  pour 
ing  down  his  hard  face  he  spoke  somewhat  on  this  wise, 
"I  have  been  a  bad  man,  in  all  kinds  of  wjckedne&s, 
dancing,  gambling,  and  drinking,  and  adultery;  make 
it  as  bad  as  you  can,  and  I  have  surpassed  any  of  my 
friends  in  it  all.  But  now  I  am  determined,  God  help 
ing  me,  to  stop  that  way  and  from  this  time  on  to  be 
on  the  side  of  Jesus,  and  follow  Him  and  to  be  found 
with  Christian  people.  All  my  money  I  have  formerly 
squandered  in  the  ways  of  sin  when  my  wife  and 
family  needed  it,  but  now  I  will' invest  it  for  their 
good."  There  was  great  rejoicing  in  the  hearts  of  all. 
He  was  examined  carefully  by  the  session,  and  received 
into  the  church,  and  the  following  Sabbath  was 
baptized.  For  more  than  three  years  .under  his  new 
^Leader  he  has  walked  in  the  faith,  one  of  the  most  Jion- 
ored  and  highly  respected  men  in  the  church  and  com 
munity.  He  is  a  trustee  and  often  an  office  holder  in 
some  of  the  societies /of  the  church.  He  has  a  splendid 
home  where  night  and  morning  f amity  worship  is  con 
ducted  by  himself  in  a  home  circle  all  the  members  of 
whom  are  Christians.  On  week  days  he  is  a  steady,  suc 
cessful,  up-to-date  fanner  caring  for  his  own^and  rent 
ing  other  4ands.  No  happier  man  can  be  found  on 
Umatilla  reservation  than  Parcona  Botanic. 


DEEDS  OF  COYOTE 

F  ALL  the  Weyeknij  or  gods  of  the  Northwest 
tribes  none  has  played  so  important  a  part  as 
Coyote,  Not  that  Ee  was  more  powerful,  but 
rather  more  cunning  and  crafty  in  his  dissem 
bling,  for  he  believed  in  brain  rather  than 
brawn.  So  around  Coyote's  name  gather  these 
most  fantastic  vagaries,  which  are  the  acts  of 
the  Weyekin  pictured  out  by  the  fanciful 
minds  of  their  devotees.  They  were  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation,  always  growing  in  the  trans 
mission,  and  becoming  the  oral  Bible  of  the  Redman. 
Long  ago,  probably  before  the  advent  of  man,  earth 
was  inhabited  by  great  animals  and  reptiles  who  ruled 
In  the  world  as  men  do  now.  At  least  the  imaginative 
world  of  the  Indian  was  thus  peopled}  for  he  is  a  tare- 

/  18 


t ml  •towrrtr  •€  Ikt  worki  of  IT  attire,  am*  his  mind  looks 
mmdUrmcath  for  "irst  cawes."  Where  they  do  not  ap 
pear  he  eowtrmeti  them  to  imit  the  occasion. 

Coyott  plamned  to  take  a  long  journey  east.  He  went 
by  way  of  the  northern  trail,  and  in  so  doing  he  took 
the  route  later  followed  by  the  Great  Northern  rail 
road;  and  returned  in  haste  by  the  southern  trail,  the 
route  later  followed  by  the  Union  Pacific,  traversing 
these  trails  long  before  Lewis  and  Clark,  Astor,  Bonne- 
ville  or  Fremont.  On  fiis  hasty  return  he  was  met  far 
on  the  way  by  Lark,  with  a  broken  leg,  who  told  him 
more  particularly  of  the  dreadful  news  from  the  North- 
west  of  which  Coyote  already  had  secret  information. 
There  had  come  into  the  country  a  great  monster  that 
was  destroying  all  the  beasts  of  the  land.  For  thii 
great  being  could  simply  open  his  enormous  mouth  and 
inhale  them  all,  except  those  that  had  fled  in  terror  be 
yond  reach  of  his  breath.  By  this  means,  he  obtained 
his  food  and  overcame  his  enemies.'..  Finally  thii 
monster  had  come  into  the  territory  that  is  now  Idaho, 
and  stopped  there  upon  hearing  of  another  great  enemy 
to  be 'met.  As  the  monster  rested  he  formed  a  great} 
depression  in  the  earth  which  became  the  Kamiah  Val 
ley.  His  head  was  far  down  the  dearwater  River,  his 
tail  away  at  Stites,  and  his  other  members  forme4 d  the 
several  depressions  opening  from  the  valley. 

Coyote  came  bravely  on  to  meet  this  dread  Monster, 
for  being  forewarned  he  was  forearmed,  and 'so  daunt 
less.  While  s^  great  way  off  he  disguised  himself  by 
covering  his  body  with  dry  bunch  grass,  and  took  with 
him  as  by  stealth  some  pine  pitch  with  which  to  start 
a  fire.  He  also  secreted  three  flint  kniveyon  his  person. 
Thus  prepared  he  approached  the  Monster  and  cried 
to  him,  "All  my  friends  and  relatives  are  gone,  having 
been  inhaled  by  you,  so  now  I  have  no  wislj  to  live 
longer  and  beg  of  you  to  inhale  me  too/'  But  the 

' 


Monster  feared  greatly  and  refund  to  f?tak  or  to  im- 

hale  Coyote,  for  he  recognised'  in  him  his  dreadtd 
•nemy.  Failing  in  thii  jtevice  Coyote  came  on  boldly 
and  forced  an  entrance  into  the  Monster.  Proceeding 
within  he  found  in  the  stomach  of  the  beast  many  of 
his  friends  that  had  not  yet  been  destroyed  but  wert 
held  as  reserved  food  until  he  should  feel  hungry.  Then 
Coyote  saw  his  opportunity  to  do  a  mighty  deed.  H« 
began  to  explain  his  plan  of  deliverance  to  all  the  ani 
mals  within.  But  Bear  rose  up  to  upbraid  Coyote  an 
too  presumptuous,  whereupon  Coyote  smote  Bear  and 
squeezed  his  nose/so  Bear  has  to  this  day  a  sharp  nose. 
Coyote  again  regaled  the  animals,  and  explaining  his 
.  plans  said,  "Friends,  do  you  not  see  that  all  of  you  art 
in  a  sad  plight,  and  that  this  Monster  is  slowly  reduc 
ing  you  to  refuse,  but  I  have  come  to  deliver  you,  and 
in  this  way.  All  of  you  get  near  to  the  different  open 
ings  from  the  body  of  this  Monster,  and  I  will  with  this 
flint  and  pitch  start  a  fire,  and  then  he  will  relax  for  a' 
while  and  if  all  of  you  will  be  quick,  and  act  at  the 
strategic  ^moment,  you  will  be  able  to  make  your  escape. 
Then  while  he  is  in  this  relaxed  condition  I  will  strike 
at  hi^  heart  and  vitals  to  slay  him.  This  plan  was  fol- 
lowed/and  all  the -animals  escaped.  As  all  the  animals 
went  free  Coyote  proceeded  to  kill  the  Monster  by  cut 
ting  into  his  heart  and  other  vital  organs.  He  brokt 
one  of  his  knives  in  the  great  heart.  So  in  his  great 
rage  Coyote  tore  the  heart  away  with  his  hands. 

The  Monster  was  slain,  and  Coyote  planned  to  cut 
him  up  and  from  the  parts  of  the  dismembered  body  ht 
decided  to  create  the  different  nations  of  mtn.  He  took 
the  great  stomach  of  the  Monster  and  cast  it  into  tht 
North  country  and  called/ into  being  from  it  the  Spo 
kane  pe9ple.  Hence  it  is  a  fact  that  all  the  Spokane 
people  have  big  stomachs  for  they  tamt  from  that  part 
Tht  legs  wtre  east  to  the  Northtast  into  tht  Blaokf oot 


country,  and  fo  tho§*  people  are  tall  and  ilim.  And  fo 
it  was  with  the  rest  of  the  Monster  M  the  parts  were 
•erered  and  cast  away. 

When  all  this  great  work  was  over  Coyote  was  very 
tired,  and  his  hands  were  dripping  with  blood.  So  hif 
said  to  Fox,  "You  bring  me  some  water  from  the  river 
and  I  will  finish  my  *work,  and  my  greatest  creation.'" 
As  he  washed  his  hands  and  the  blood  ran  down  into  the 
ground  Coyote  said,  "From  the  blood  of  the  hands  of 
the  conquering  hero  shall  spring  up  here  the  Numipu 
people,  though  few  in  number  and  small  in  stature  they 
shall  conquer  all  their  enemies. "  All  other  tribes  were 
as  aliens,  but  these  were  the  Chosen  People. 

To  the  writer  as  he  passed  through  the  beautiful 
Kamiah  Valley,  t)iat  great  and  strange  depression  of 
the  earth,  there  was  pointed  out  a  great  stone  in  the 
midst  of  the  valley  which  is  called  today  "Timene"  or 
"the  heart,"  which  organ  it  resembles,  having  part  cut 
off  as  with  a  knife  and  the  rest  torn  as.  Coyote  did  in 
his  rage  when  he  broke  his  knife.  Not  far  away  are  to 
be  Seen  some  other  vitals  of  the  Monster.  And  the 
contour  of  the  valley,  if  looked  at  from  the  ridge  above 
is  said  to  resemble  in  contour  such  a  Monster.  Here 
was'  a  result  and  the  cause  was  reasoned  out  and  ex 
plained  as  we  have  here  described.  But  a  fertile  im 
agination  will  go  a  little  further  and  see  in  the  deed  of 
Coyote,  giving  himself  to  rescue  the  other  animals,  a 
facsimile  of  Prometheus  bound  to  the  rocky  coast 'be 
cause  he  steals  the  fire  of  heaven  to  benefit  humanity. 
Thus  a  channel  is  prepared  in  the  minds  of  all  hearing 
the  story  for  the  teachings  of  a  vicarious  death.  Again, 
it  is  not  far  in  imagination  from  Coyote's  .creation  to 
the  true;  "and  the  rib  which  Jehovah  God  had  taken 
from  the  man,  made  he  a  woman."  One  may  be  a  per 
version  of  the  other,  or  at  least  let  us  say  that  God  has 
not  left  Himself  without  a  witness  in  the  world.. 


16 


OF  TIM 

T  WAR  not  always  peace  and  harmony  1» 
abode  of  Coyote,  lor  if  the  people  wished  to 
,,  practice  deceit,  intrigue,  and  polygamy  they 
\must  have  good  precedent  for  it,  so  they  made 
their  Weyekin  observe  the  same  practice!.  Lik« 
ptople  like  gods. 

^Phe  story  goes  that  Coyote  had  a  Bon.  And 
this  \Son  had  two  wives  White  Swan  and , 
Tsalktsalk.  WHite  Swan*  was  very  lovely  and  father 
Coyote  was  jnost  jealous  of  his  son  because  of  her,  and 
laid  his  plans  w  get  her  to  become  his  own  wife, 
asked  his  son  to  alimb  a  very  high  tree  to  get  something 
for  him,  and  in  fife  simplicity  the  son  obeyed,  As  he 
went  farther  and  farther  up  the  tree  and  still  saw, noth 
ing  his  father  would  look  at  him  and  Coyote's  look  was 
so  powerful  that  it  had  the  repellant  property  of  driv 
ing  his  son  farther  aM  farther  on.  So  father  Coyote 
looked  at  him,  and  looked  at  him,  till  he  literally 
"looked  him  out  of  sight,"  and  got  White  Swan  to 
wife.  The  SQJL  on  his  upward  journey  passed  through 
three  doors  and  finally  came  to  another  world,  where 
people,  like  to  Spiders,  were  weaving.  These  treated 
him  kindly  and  finally  when  they  had  heard  his  story, 
gave  him  a  sort  of  web  by  means  of  which  he  might  get 
through  the  gates  again  and  descend  to  earth.  And  he 
was  told  that  on  coming  to  the  .earth  he  might  re'turn 
the  web  to  them  by  burning  it. 

Here*  is  a  glimpse  of  the  idea  of  some  one  above  who 
can  help  earth's  creatures,  and  also  the  thought  of  re 
turning  or  sending  a  message  up  by  fire,  as  in  sacrifice. 
And  here  inay  be  recounted  the  real  significance'  of  the 
sweat  bath. 


17 


Tht  iwtat  bath  M  Uken  by  the  Indians  WM  in  the  be- 
finning  a  real  act  of  worship.  In  the  first  place  the 
idea  was  to  attain  perfect  cleanness  by  sweating  out  all 
impurities  so  as  to  be  ready  to  meet  and  obtain  the 
Weyekin.  In  another  religion  the  devotees  must  be  of 
t lean  hands  and  pure  hearts  to  commune  with  a  perfect 
God.  But  in  the  work  to  make  the  sweat  bath  the  idea 
of  sacrifice  comes  out  strongly.  First,  the  stones  are 
piled  up  M  the  altar  of  old,  and  over  them  the  fire  was 
kindled  to  heat  them.  When  the  rocks  were  hot  and 
taken  into  th^Vwishtatammo"  or  sweat  house,  water 
was  poured  over  them  to  make  the  steam  for  the  sweat- 
ing.  As  the  siziling  sound  begins  and  the  steam  rises 
the  person  listens  to  hear  what  the  message  from  the 
•team  is,  to  see  if  it  expresses  his  wish  as  it  goes  up.  If 
peradventure  it  does,  the  devotee  will  be  heard  to  say, 
Coyote,  bring  me  money,  or  success  in  the  hunt  or 
fishing,  or  success  in  gaming  the  desired  wife."  Any 
•imilar  wish  or  jfrayer  may  be  Uken  up  with  the  steam. 


A  WIYEHN  LOVE  8TORY- 

OYOTE  also  had  a  very  beautiful  daughter.  Co 
beautiful  was  she  that  she  was  wearied  with 
suitors,  It  was  known  that  Coyote  was  very 
fond  of  fish,  and  the  daughter  would  go  along 
the  streams  to  get  fish  for  her  father.  To  her 
great  surprise  and  pleasure  everywhere  she 
went  she  found  strings  of  fish  already  caught 
and  waiting  her  coming.  These  her  suitors 
taught  and  placed  in  her  way,  10  as  to  drive  their  bar- 
fains  for  her  lovely  hand.  But  about  the  time  they 
wtre  rtady  to  approach  Coyott  to  prets  thtir  suit  kt 

'  it 


had  Wan  to  loathe  the  fish,  for  they  were  so  many  and 
so  freVuent.  Beaver  was  known  to  be  the  best  fisher, 
•go  whei  he  made  his  approaches  to  Miss  Coyote,  -who 
knew  th\  attitude  of  her  father  toward  a  fisher,  he  was 
chilled,  and  when  he  repaired  to  the  old  man  he  got  the 
"tomahawk."  For  already  father  Coyote  was  longing 
for  venifion\and  hated,  the  sight  of  fish,  or  a 'common 
fisherman. 

Then  as  Miss  Coyote  went  out  to  get  a  deer  she  found 
one  ready  for\er;  and  she  hastily  prepared'it  for  her 
father.  Now  it\s  known  that  no  one  is  so  quick  to  kill 
a  deer  as  Fox.  So  while  Coyote  was  enjoyjng  his  veni 
son,  Fox  drove  his  bargain  betore  he  had*  time  to  get 
too  much  deer's  meat,  and  he  won  his  case  and  took 


19 


Kiss  Coyote  to  his  own  tent  to  be  hii  wife.  But  all  the 
other  animals  planned  vengeance  on  Fox  and  his  pretty 
wife.  So  while  they  slept  they  burned  the  tent  and 
them  alive  within  it.  Thus  burned  they  started  on  their 
long  journey  to  the  spirit  land.  But  Coyote  was  very 
sad  and  lonely  without  his  daughter,  and  he  desired  to 
follow  her.  He  learned  from  her  that  the  only  way  that 
he  might  follow  was  to  jump  into  the  fire  and  be 
burned,  which  he  did.  But  finding  it  too  hot  he  leaped 
out  again  and  thought  he  would  trust  to  his  power  of 
cunning  and  dissembling  to  follow  her,  for  he  found 
that  he  could  keep  near  enough  to  Fox  and  his  wife  by 
following  on  the  land  to  hear  them  talking  and  laugh- 
ing  by  night,  but  he  could  not  see  them  at'  any  time  nor 
hear  or  see  them  at  all  during  the  day.  In  this  way 'he 
followed  them  many  days  and  nights  till  he  came  to  a 
great  dark  river.  Here  he  found  that  the  spirits  had 
entered  a  boat  to  be  taken  to  the  other  side  to  the 
home  of  the  spirits.  He  managed  to  get  aboard  the 
boat  and  be  landed  on  the  other  side  with  his  lovely 
daughter.  After  remaining  with  her  a  long  time  and 
becoming  comforted  and  reconciled  as  to  her  being 
away  from  him,  he  began  to  plan  a  return  to  earth. 
Wnen  he  was  ready  to  go  and  was  leaving,  the  keeper 
of  the  place  gave  to  him  a  very  small  and  light  bag  to 
carry  with  him  on  the  way,  the  weight  of  which  was 
almost  imperceptible.  But  the  keeper  solemnly  warned 
him  not  to  open  the  bag,  under  any  circumstances, 
till  he  Lad  safely  reached  earth  and  his  home  again. 

Thus  comforted  and  warned  he  was  ferried  across 
the  river  and  started,  on  his  long  homeward  journey 
over  the  five  great  mountain  ranges  that  he  must  needs 
cross  before  he  reached  his  home.  The  first  he  made 
with  a  light  heart,  and  with  little  fatigue,  as  also  he 
did  the  second  and  third,  but  he  noticed  the  weight  of 


the  little  bag  increasing  slightly  as  he  proceeded,  yet 
tooV  no  worry  on  account  of  it.  By  the  time  he  reached 
the  loot  of  the  fifth  mountain  he  was  compelled  to  take 
notice  of  the  bag,  for  it  had  grown  larger  and  heavier 
until  he  could  no  longer  shoulder  it  as  before,  but  waa 
forced  to  draw  it  along  for  short  distances  only,  and 
take  a  long  rest  between  each  tug.  Finally  when  he 
was  nearly  to  the  top  of  the  fifth  ridge  he  sat  there 
panting  for  breath  for  a  long  time,  all  the  while  won 
dering,  wondering,  wondering  what  in  the  world 
could  possibly  be  in  that  bag,  and  what  on  earth  could 
make  it  get  so  heavy  as  he  proceeded,  when  it  was  so 
light  at  the  start.  As  these  questions  revolved  in  his 
inquiring  mind,  he  finally  decided  that  it  could  do  no 
possible  harm  to  open  the  bag,  and  take  a  peep  into  it, 
since  he  was  so  very  near  the  top  of  the  last  range  of 
mountains. 

He  opene4  it!  And  as  he  did  his  heart  failed  him, 
for  in  an  instant,  before  he  could,  gather  his  always 
ready  wit,  there  sprang  from  it  all  the  souls  of  all  the 
f  departed,  together  with  his  lovely  daughter,  and  with 
a  loud,  fierce  shout  they  rushed  'back  to  the  darkness 
of  Hades.  Whereas,  if  Coyote  had  not  opened  the  bag 
he  might  have  delivered  them  all  safely  to  earth  again. 
*But  he  had  opened  the  bag-— the  forbidden  fruit — and 
turned  many  brave  souls  back  into  Hades. 


-SOME  COYOTE  TRICKS 

.8  COYOTE  was  taking  a  long  journey  dowm 
the  Columbia  Eiver,  he  became  very  tired  and 
weary  and  could  hardly  drag  his  legs  along, 
for  it  was  hot  and  the  sand  was  deep.  So 
ever  and  anon  he  went  to  the  edge  of  the 
water  to  slake  his  thirst,  or  to  wet  his  parched 
and  swollen  lips.  As  he  did  this  once  he  saw 
down  in  *he  deep  clear  water  some  fine,  juicy 
choke-cherries  that  looked  most  inviting  to  him.  And 
he  chuckled  to  himself,  for  if  there  is  anything  that 
Coyote,  or  Indian,  likes  better  than  choke-cherries  it  is 
more  of  them,  mixed  with  a  little  salmon  "tunnot"  to 
give  them  the  delicious  salmon  flavor. 

On  seeing  these  choke-cherries  deep  in  the  water 
Coyote  was  not  long  in  making  up  his  mind  as  to  the 
thing  to  do.  He  removed  his  clothing  and  took  a 
plunge  for  the  cherries.  He  got  a  very  refreshing 
bath  but  none  of  the  coveted  fruit.  Looking  again, 
they  were  still  there,  just  as  juicy  and  as  inviting  as 
ever,  for  in  his  floundering  about  he  had  not,  bruised 
them*  at  all.  So  he  tried  his  luck  at  diving,  again  and 
again  until  he  was  exhausted,  and  falling  on  his 
clothing  in  the,  shade  he  slept  soundly.  On  waking  he 
stretched  himself  lazily  as  he  looked  up  into  the  \sftt 
August  sky.  Then  he  smiled  indeed  for  there  dangling 
above  him,  out  "over  the  water  were  the  lucious  choke- 
cherries.  In  his  zeal  and  haste  to  gain  his  point  he  had 
forgotten  to  look  up. 

Journeying  onward  he  felt  that  some  enemy  was  fol 
lowing  him,  so  he  planned  to  throw  off  the  enemy  from 
his  track,  by  catching  the  long,  overhanging  clematis 
vines,  swinging  hiAself  far  away  and  letting  go,  thus 
making  long  breaks. in  his  tracks.  So  to  this  day  the 

X2 


wild  clematis  is  called  by  this  people  "Itsayeyanim 
picks,"  or  Coyote  rope.  However  before  Coyote  reached 
The  Dalles  he  .was  very  huri£ry  again  but  cbuld  not 
succeed  in  catching  any  of  the  salmon.  _  So  again  h* 
must  resort  to  cunning  to  obtain  food.  He  sprang  on  a 
log  and  went  floating  ahmg  in  the  river  near  Colilo 
rapids  where  many  people  were  spearing  the  big 
salmon  as  they  leaped  the  rapids,  going  up  stream. 
As  Coyote  floated  along  he  cried  like  i  a  very  small 
baby;  so  one  of  the  Indian  women  took  pity  on  tht 
child,  and  to  save  it  from  going  over  the  rapids  to  cer-> 
tain  death  she  swam  out  and  got  it,  taking  it  to  her 
home  to  be  her  very  own  little  baby.  „  She  fed  "andi 
lulled  it  to  sleep,  then  went  about  her  duties.  "While 
Coyote  feignecLsleep  a  m6st  delicipus  odor  came,  to  his 
sharp  olfactories  which  made  him  almost  discover  him 
self  before  the  time  was  ripe.  Fof  on  the  outside  of  the 
tent  not  far  from  his  little  bed  the  women  were  busy 
boiling,  baking,  drying  and  pounding  salmon,  pre£ar^ 
ing  it  In  every  shape  and  style  to  tickle  the  palate  of 
almost  anyone,  much  more'  a  hungry  Coyote.  He  with 
stood  the  temptation  as  long  as  he  could,  then  looking 
all  about  he  saw  that  the  women  had  gone  to  the  river 
to  bring -another  batch  of  salmon  that  the  men  had 
landed,  and. had  left  only  some  small  cMldern  to  play 
aroundr  and  ^jare  for  the  new  baby.  Then  he  stole  put 
and. satisfied  his  hunger  until  he  could  hardly  move, 
and  loading  up  what  he  could  not  eat.  made  away 
with  it.-  ' 
Still  sonic  folks  say  that  Coyott  don't  steal. 


m 


Among  the  strange  phe 
nomena  of  the  Northwest 
inland  plateau  country 
none  works  such  wizardry 
as  the  warm  wind  that 
comes  in  the  winter  and 
is  known  as  the  "Chi- 
nooki"  The  whole  coun 
try  may  be  pinched  and 
shivering  with  zero  weath 
er,  and  yrhite  with  deep 
.  snow  for  many  days,  and 
tnen  of  a  sudden  this 
spring  zephyr  comes  from 
the  southeast,  and  as  it 
breathes  on  the  frost  it 
disappears  like  Sennache- , 
rib's  host  before  the  Angel 
of  the  Lord.  As  a  deep 
snow  crumbles  and  crushes 
before  it,  one  is  reminded 
of  the  cracking  of  wheat 
under  a  summer  sun. 

Thirty-seven  years  ago 
Umatilla  County  experi 
enced  the  coldest  and  long- 


Philip  Minthorn 


f  - 


esf  winter  with  the  deepest  snow  that  the  oldest 
inhabitant  recalls.  Two  feet  of  snow  lay  on  the  val 
ley,  with  the  thermometer  below  zero  for  many  days. 
The  herds  otf  cattle  and  ponies  were  withering  away 
in  the  storm.  Even  though  they  had  food  or  could  get 
the  bunch  grass  they  had  no  energy  to  go  for  it  be 
cause  of  the  cold,  as  the  frpzen  ground  made  the  blood 
ooze  from  their  hoofs. 

William  Barnhart,  the  Indian  agent,  was  much  wor 
ried.  The  employees  at  the  agency  invested  most  of 
their  time  in  keeping  a  fire  going  for  their  own  com 
fort,  and  to  warm  any  Indian  that  might  straggle  in. 
After  the  storm  had  raged  many  days,  one  day  about 
noon,  the  agent  in  the  presence  of  John  McBean,  the 
interpreter,  Tom,  the  blacksmith,  and  a  number  of  In 
dians  sitting  around,  was  heard  to  say,  "I  wish  it 
would  Chinook."  Sokai,  one  of  the  Indians  present 
immediately  spoke  up:  "I  will  call  Chinook,  if  you 
will  .kill  two  fat  Government  cattle  for  us  to  feast  on." 
"Go,  sir,  and  call  the  Chinook,  the  cattle  will  be  ready 
for  you,"  said  the  agent.  "And  John,  you  and  Tom 
go  with  Sokai  and  watch  him  call  the  Chinook,  and  re 
port  to  me  when  it  comes." 

Though  hating  to  leave  the  fire,  these  two  witnesses 
waded  through  the  drifts  and  followed  Sokai  to  his 
tepee,  weighted  down  with  snow. 

Sokai  immediately  set  his  long  lodge  in  order  to 
"make  medicine."  So  cold  was  it  that  the  two  wit 
nesses  had  to  keep  two  fires'  going  in  the  long  tepee  to 
keep  warm,  while  in  the  middle  of  it  in  the  early  after 
noon  Sokai  began  his  incantations  of  song,  dance,  and 
drumming.  Faster  and  still  faster  was  his  pace,  louder 
his  singing  and  beating  and  gesticulating,  until  he  was 
in  a  lather  of  pr aspiration,  as  though  he  had  just  leaped 
from  a  sweat  house,  while  the  otjiers  were  freezing. 
But  warmer  still  he  must  make  it.  Five  pine  knots 

25 


wer«  near  the  flrc.  So  he  placed  them  in  the  flame  till 
they  were  like  flambeaus.  One  after  the  other  of 
these  he  inserted  in  his  mouth  and  literally  ate  the 
flames  from  them,  for  he  must  make  it  hotter.  Some 
rifle  balls  were  heated  next  almost  to  the  melting  point 
and  they  were  swallowed,  sizzling  as  they  went  down, 
for  he  was  now  in  a  frenzy.  He  called  for  water  which 
they  rushed  to 'him  in  a  pail  holding  about  a  half  gal- 
lon>  He  called  for  more  water  till  he  had  drained  this 
pail  the  fifth  time.  The  witnesses  feared  to  see  him 
burst  open,  or  fall  down  dead.  But  still  he  "made 
medicine,"  for  he  must  make  it  hotter.  At  this  point 
Tom's  heart  failed  him,  and  slipping  from  the  tent  he 
called  to  John  a  moment  later,  TlCpme  on  out."  "No, 
too  cold,"  was  the  reply  from  within.  "Come  on  out, 
John,  I  say,  it  is  not  cold."  The  high  wind  had 
been  blowing  on  the  foothills  and  Tom  could  see  them 
in  the  bright  moonlight  already  black  and  the  summer 
breeze  was  bathing  his  cheeks.  When-  John  came  out 
hfe  and  Tom  went  home  in  the  slush  long  before  mid 
night.  In  the  early  morning  the  great  Umatilla  Val 
ley  had  not  a  vestige  of  snow  in  sight,  but  the  Umatilla 
river  was  a  raging  torrent.  The  witnesses  hastened  to 
the  agent's  office  to  report  their  experience,  and  Sokai 
also  was  th,ere:  He  nad  "delivered  the  goods.",  Tflen 
the  agent  was  still  more  worried,  for  during  the  night, 
under  the  soft  breeze  all  the  cattle  had  rushed  to  the 
bpen  country  to  feed  on  the  high  bunch  grass;  so  he 
had  to  butcher  his  two  best  sleek  and  fat  work  oxe.n, 
for  the  demand  was  urgent,  as  runners  had  gone 
forth  to  summon  all  the  people  to  partake  of  the 
"Feast  of  Sokai." 

Do  you  ask  how  Sokai  did  it?  Had  you  asked  him, 
you  would  have  received  a  blank  and  contemptuous 
stare  because*  of  your  ignorance.  If  you  were  wise, 

26 


you  would  have  known  that  his  Weyekin  was  in  the 
south  country,  from  whence  comes  the % wizard  "Chi 
nook,"  and  had  communicated  to  him  by  "  wireless " 
that  the  Chinook  was  coming.  With  more  certainty 
than  the  Government  weather  bureau,  ne  drove*  his  bar 
gain  and  proceeded  to7  "make  medicine." 

The  Calling  of  the  Chinook  is  a  true  story  in  every 
detail.  The  witnesses  are  still  alive,  and  Mr.  Barnhart, 
the  agent,  died  only  recently  in  Portland,  Ore.  Sokai, 
a  child  of  nature,  felt  "in  his  bones"  without  barome 
ter,  that  the  ' ' Chinook"  was  due  sdon.  For  some  hours 
before  the  "Chinook"  comes  the  temperature  literally 
jumps  from  zero  or  below  to  30,  or  even  50  degrees 
above,  so  any  one  could  "make  medicine"  and  call 
the  "Chinook"  without  a  Weyekin,  for  it  is  inevitable 
at  such  a  time.  Sokai  was  simply  a  more  careful  ob 
server  than  his  white  brothers  along  this  line,  and  so 
in  a  way'humbuged  them,  a  thing  tiesired  by  us  all, 
according  to  P.  T.  Barnum.  Being  a  Medicine  Man, 
like  some  of  the  modern,  prof ession,  h£  must  vmaintain 
the  dignity  of  his  calling,  even  though  in  doing  so  he 
knowingly  gives  his  patients  some  "dough  pills." 

As  to  the  suddenness  of  these  Chinook  winds  the  writ 
er's  experience  will  illustrate.  To  meet^an  appointment 
on  the  other  side  _of  McKay  creek  from  the  mission,  he 
left  home  Sunday  morning  with  ten  inches  of  snow  on 
the  ground,  and  the  temperature  at  four  degrees,  -be-y 
low  zero.  Returning  on  Monday  a  hard  crust  ofi  the 
snow  cut1  the  horses  legs  until  they  could  hardly  be 
forced  to  go  ahead.  Soon  after  crossing  McKay  the 
'•'Chinook"  began  which  rendered  the  creek  impass 
able  for  more  than  a  week,  for  higher  in  the  mountains 
there  were  .two  or  three  feet  of  snow  which  literally 
fell  into  the  creek.  Those  who  witnessed  it  said  that 
great  slides  of  snow  were  carried  into  the  stream  whicfe 
did  not  melt  until  they  reached  its'  current. 

27 


NlEAR  his  father's  tepee  played  a  little  Indian 
I  boy,  a  two-year-old,  some  sixty-five  years  ago*- 
He  may  have  seen  the  anxious  look  on  his 
father's  face,  the  silent  weeping  of  his 
troubled  mother,  and  the  hurried  visits  of 
other  chiefs  to  the  tent,  or  he  may  have  heard 
the  hot  words  spoken  in  conversation  with 
them,  but  he  comprehended  not  the  purport 
of  it  all.  His  father  had  said  as  these  men  went  out, 
14  Go  cowards,  and  kill  your  best  friend,  I  will  take  no 
part  in  it."  Then  because  something  dreadful  hap 
pened,  he  saw  the  hurried  breaking  of  camp,  and 
moved  from  dear  old  haunts  along  Yellow  Hawk  Creek, 
for  it  was  this  child's  father  that  gave  the  creek  the 
name  which  it  still  bears.  He  was-  chief  Yellow  Hawk, 
the  life-long  friend  of  the  first  missionary,  who  refused 
to  take  part  in  the  massacre  of  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman  in 
1847,  and  branded  it  as  a  deed  of  cowards.  The  earliest 
recollection  of  this  child  was  of  his  father  gathering  all 
the  family  together  to  sing  and  pray.  He  early  per- 
ceived  that  these  were  not  the  chants  and  incantationi 
used  in  many  camps  on  festive  occasions  and  in  cases 
of  sickness  by  the  medicine  men  to  worship  and  call  in 
the  help  of  their  Weyekin.  Later  he  understood  that 
these  songs  had  been  taqght  them  by  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Whitman,  and  that  the  prayers  were  a  part  of  the  wor 
ship  of  the  true  God  and  of  His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  By  * 
such 'faithful  ones  as  his  father  the  altar  fires  were 
kept  burning  in  many  of  the  homes  during  those  long, 
dark  days  from  1847  to  1882  in  which  year  a  ohurch 
was  organized  on  the  Umatilla  reservation  whither  this 
father  had  moved  his  family,  with  the  other  Indians 
who  had  formerly  lived  near  Waiilatpu.  Through  the 
faithfulness  of  such  parents  some  of  the  children  em- 

28 


braced  the  Christian  religion,  as  did  Yellow  Hawk's 
son,  who  was  given  the  name  of  Philip  Minthorn.  In 
response  to  a  petition  of  these  younger  Christians  the 
church  was  organized  as  stated  above,  and  for  the  next 
seventeen  years  was  supplied  by  different  faithful  Nez 
Perce  ministers  who  came  to  remain  only  for  a  short 
time,  or  for  a  few  years  at  most.  The  people  had  no 
missionary.  These  -changes  occasioned  many  long,  hard 
and  expensive  trips  to  Presbytery,  on  the  part  of  Philip 
to  get  a  new  supply,  for  the  towns  were  far  apart  and 
the  Presbytery  comprised  all  of  Oregon  and  more. 
Finally  a  number  of  those  who  had  the  best  interests  of 
the  mission  at  heart,  with  Philip.  Minthorn  as  a  leader 
and  spokesman,  petitioned  the  Presbytery  to  send  them 
a  young  missionary  who  might  live  among  them  with 
his  family,  learn  their  language,  and  be  a  helper  in 
every  way  possible.  During  all  the  struggle  and  dark 
days  while  some  were  opposing  the  mission  and  mis 
sionary  this  son  of  old  Yellow  Hawk  stood  firmly,  al 
most  alone  (a  characteristic  not  too  common  among  the 
Indians,  for  they  love  to  go  with  the  crowd)  in  his  faith 
fulness  to  the  Presbytery,  to  the  missionary,  and  to  hii 
own  ideals.  How  many  times  has  our  almost  bleeding, 
but  never  discouraged  heart  been  comforted  by  his  kind 
words,  advice  and  smile.  One  could  always  put  his 
hand  on  this  son  of  Yellow  Hawk,  knowing  exactly 
where  he  stood.  As  his  eyesight  and  strength  failed  his 
Christian  spirit  grew  stronger.  Though  many  times 
misunderstood,  and  abused  by  some,  he  maintained  the 
same  charitable  spirit  towards  all.  Having  served  the 
church  as  an  active  elder  from  April  15th,  1883,  to  April 
18th,  1909,  (just  26  years  and  three  days)' he  retired 
from  active  duties  with  thijS  resolution  of  Presbytery 
on  the  session  record  to  his  honor:  "We  wish  to  com 
mend  Philip  Minthorn  who  has  been  recently  retired 

.29 


from  the  actire  eldership  of  the  Tutuilla  church,  for  all 
his  faithfulness  in  the  past  twenty  or  more  years  that 
he  has  been  elder.  We  cannot  but  feel  that  it  has  been 
due  in  a  large  measure  to  his  efforts  that  the  mission 
has  existed,  and  made  its  present  progress  and  growth 
through  all  the  dark  days.  We  sympathize  with  him 
in  his  affliction  of  his  eyesight,  and  will  miss  him  at  our 
councils  in  the  future.  May  God's  richest  blessing  ba 
on  him  in  all  his  future  labors;  and  we  would  ask  him  to 
remember  that  he  is  still  an  elder,  but  for  the  time  be 
ing  has  laid  aside  the  active  dirties  of  the  office, ' '  Space 
would  fail  to  narrate  the  interesting  accounts  of  others 
equally  as  faithful  in  their  profession  of  Christ  who 
were  the  direct  seed  of  the  hero  who  was  stricken 
down  at  Waiilatpu,  but  who  being  dead  yet  speaketh. 
The  last  pupil  of  the  Marcus  Whitman  mission  school 
was  Sarah  (Ipna-tsolatalkt)  who  was  a  member  of  the 
Tutuilla  church  until  her  death,  February  17,  1908. 
The  history  of  the  Tutuilla  church  and  the  individual 
members  in  it,  its  power  for  good  on  this  reservation 
and  radiating  to  other  reservations  during  recent 
years  frt>m  the  series  of  evangelistic  meetings  held,  are 
all  to  the  honor  of  the  martyred  missionaries  of  1836 
to  1847. 


so 


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